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The Battle of Belgorod was fought early August, 1943 between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. It was one of the battles of the Soviet counter-offensive Operation Polkovodets Rumyantsev which followed the Battle of Kursk.
[edit] Prelude
During the battle of Kursk, German armored units south of the Kursk salient drove a wedge in the Belgorod sector on July 8. The Soviet counter-offensive following the battle included re-taking other cities like Kharkov and Belgorod.
[edit] The battle of Belgorod
The Soviets pushed an armored wedge toward Belgorod, which they had driven to a depth of 100 miles. It was pinched off at the base of the penetration and the thrust was checked by a pincer movement carried out by two panzer corps, starting from two opposite shoulders. However, the German armored units were overwhelmed and defeated by the mass of Soviet forces and the bombardment from 3,000 of their guns throughout the 19-mile front.
[edit] Aftermath
Combined deaths during the battle are over 72,000. After the Soviets re-took the city, the way was clear for the city of Kharkov in the Fourth Battle of Kharkov.
